Our culture often treats ageing as something to resist. Scripture gives us a very different vision. Every season of life belongs to God, and growing older is not retirement from his purposes. I am 90 and I am so glad God still has work for me to do. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit so I believe it is important to look after it. I attend a gym, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for about one hour doing aerobic and strength exercises. I only started gym after time in hospital with clots on my lungs. My lung specialist had me spend 8 weeks with a physiotherapist in the Pulmonary Gym at Sutherland Hospital (Sydney, Australia). It was life changing. The physiotherapist recommended I keep up the gym work so I enrolled at the Gold Gym, close to home, and so glad I did.

Jesus calls every disciple to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. There is no age limit on that command. Our later years are not meant to be consumed by self-indulgence, but increasingly given to God and others.

As our bodies weaken, Christ becomes increasingly precious. Wrinkles, grey hair and physical limitations remind us that this world is not our permanent home. God himself is our portion and inheritance. His grace is sufficient, and his power is made perfect in weakness.

Older Christians also possess something the younger generation desperately needs: wisdom gained through years of walking with God. Titus 2:3–5 calls older women to teach what is good and train younger women in godliness. Their failures, repentance, endurance and experience can become gifts to the next generation.

So let us never believe that our usefulness ends with youth. Whether through prayer, encouragement, hospitality, mentoring or faithful service, there is still kingdom work to do.

Age may change our strength, appearance and circumstances, but it never changes our calling to love Christ, serve others and bear fruit for his glory.